Lionel Messi creates new piece of World Cup history with record-breaking goal

Lionel Messi created some new World Cup history by scoring Argentina’s opener against Cape Verde.

The footballing icon beat goalkeeper Vozinha at the near post just before the half-hour mark in the last 32 tie in Miami.

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And by doing so, he wrote his name in the history books yet again, continuing to break new boundaries on the world stage.

Messi’s strike took him to 20 World Cup goals in his career.

He’s the only player ever to reach 20 goals in the competition, with this being his sixth appearance at the tournament.

The 39-year-old is already the all-time top scorer at the World Cup, but he extended his lead at the top against Cape Verde.

On top of that, many more records tumbled for Messi.

He has become the first player ever to score in eight consecutive games at the tournament, while also becoming the first to score in every round of the World Cup.

And Messi now has the most goal contributions in knockout rounds in tournament history too, with 12.

The Argentina legend overtook Kylian Mbappe and Pele, who both have 11, with his first-half goal on Friday.

Meanwhile, he has also become the first player in 64 years to score in five consecutive World Cup knockout games.

Messi is the current top scorer of this summer’s tournament too, going clear of Mbappe with his seventh in four games.

He scored a hat-trick against Algeria, two against Austria and one against Jordan, before adding another against Cape Verde.

By reaching seven goals at the 2026 World Cup, he’s set another new record – as if his haul wasn’t already enough.

Messi is now the only player to have netted seven or more goals at two different editions of the competition.

The Inter Miami superstar also scored seven when Argentina went on to win the World Cup in Qatar four years ago.

Pearce’s praise

England legend and talkSPORT co-commentator Stuart Pearce watched on in awe as Messi made history.

And Pearce compared the legend to Pele after his goal, saying: “He’s got the same ability as Pelé, my first memory of a player, had. The ability to do the simple easily.”

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The former Three Lions defender then added on the goal: “Well, his movement is so intelligent, you know.

“I think it was Martinez who played the ball from deep…it was a good ball, but Messi’s movement- he’s dropped his shoulder and spun in behind.

“Any defender worth his salt should be reading that, especially if you know Messi’s going in behind, but where the quality comes is he’s just brought it down with the outside of his left foot and then he’s composed himself.

“He’s not snatched at it. He’s composed himself. He took that extra split second to wait for the ball to bounce and then lifted it into the roof of the net.”

“For him, he does that every day. It’s like getting up and having cornflakes for Messi, but some players they would snatch at it, miscontrol it, or get excited and not even spin in behind without going offside.”

Argentina would go on to concede a shock equaliser to Cape Verde after Messi’s goal though, as Deroy Duarte netted.

That was the minnows’ first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout game, putting the pressure onto the reigning champions.